Hearing told former government rejected formal cabinet submission

THE former Labor Government rejected the formal cabinet submission advising them to run “an expressions of interest process” for Stella Maris.

Strictly confidential cabinet papers have been revealed publicly this morning at an inquiry into the leasing of the $3 million Darwin CBD property.

Former minister Rob Knight faced questioning about the documents and said it was common for ministers to “get rolled” when they brought submissions to cabinet.

In this instance, it remains unclear how the cabinet lurched from a recommendation to seek competitive tenders to a decision to offer the site rent-free to Unions NT.

A “cabinet white” – a key document usually given to the Chief Minister ahead of cabinet discussions – was not tabled in relation to Stella Maris.

Among the documents obtained by the inquiry is a note, signed by acting cabinet secretary Rod Applegate, that says a cabinet white was not required.

The note said the recommendation had been “superseded by subsequent events” and a decision by the cabinet budget subcommittee. But Commissioner John Lawler said there was no record of the budget subcommittee making such a decision.

While the detail around the decision-making process remains murky, what is known is the formal cabinet submission sponsored by then Lands Minister Gerry McCarthy advised that handing the site to Unions NT “may attract criticism”.

Options provided to cabinet on July 10, 2012, included offering Stella Maris to the National Trust or another community group. Those options appear to conflict with Mr McCarthy’s statements last year claiming to have had “no reasonable prospect finding any other organisation which was prepared to devote the time and resources to get Stella Maris back to life”.

“Unions NT was the only organisation to take any real interest in the heritage values of the site,” he wrote to Chief Minister Adam Giles in December.

Before this morning’s hearing began, Mr Lawler read aloud from a submission from Opposition Leader Delia Lawrie and Mr McCarthy, who is now her deputy. They argued the inquiry cannot be conducted properly “if the public is excluded from the hearings”.

Mr Lawler said as a result cabinet documents would be discussed in public.

An NT News investigation into Stella Maris last year prompted the NT Government to establish the inquiry.

The least was offered to Unions NT on the last day before the caretaker period in 2012.